Obama Tries to Resurrect Immigration Reform

President Obama is reviving the thorny issue of immigration this week. He sent administration officials to Arizona on Monday to advertise his efforts on border security, while he is encouraging supporters of an immigration overhaul to focus their ire on Republicans as the cause for the legislation’s stall in Congress.

Taking a break from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Mr. Obama summoned Latino leaders and immigrant advocates on short notice for a 45–minute White House meeting on Monday, and he met Tuesday with members of the House Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Also Tuesday, the White House announced that Mr. Obama will make a major speech on immigration on Thursday at American University in Washington.

In Arizona, no less than seven senior administration officials, including Alan Bersin, the senior border commissioner and John Morton, the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, briefed Governor Jan Brewer and other state officials on plans to send 524 additional National Guard troops to the Arizona border. They also explained a new funding request by the president that would include 500 new Border Patrol agents and 50 new Immigration and Customs enforcement agents specifically for Arizona.

While federal authorities display their moves to beef up the border, the Justice Department is preparing a lawsuit to challenge a recent Arizona state law that makes it a crime to be an illegal immigrant there. Several lawsuits already filed have argued that the law could lead to racial profiling.

Although White House officials do not said it explicitly, Democratic lawmakers acknowledge that the immigration overhaul will not happen before the mid-term elections in November. Now, the White House is seeking to hold on to Latino voters–who turned out for Mr. Obama in record numbers in 2008–despite their frustration with the inaction on the legislation, which would give legal status to millions of illegal immigrants.

Mr. Obama told the advocates that he had called a number of Republican senators seeking their support for the bill, which is being written by Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat from New York. But Mr. Obama said the Republicans appeared “determined” not to provide any votes for the measure, several participants said.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, a conservative pastor who is president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, an organization of evangelical Christian churches, said he concluded from the meeting that “the number one reason we haven’t passed immigration reform is because of the Republicans in Congress.”

In marches and rallies this year, immigrant groups have blamed Mr. Obama for falling short on the overhaul. But some advocates left the meeting saying they would shift their message.

“We really have to raise the stakes on the Republicans to make it clear who is responsible for where we are,” said Eliseo Medina, a vice-president of the Service Employees International Union.

Strong Latino turnout could make a crucial difference for Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate Majority leader, a long-time supporter of the overhaul who is fighting for re-election against Sharron Angle, a conservative state legislator and Tea Party favorite.

The November vote is also shaping immigration politics for Republicans. They have backed off from the overhaul in part to help Senator John McCain of Arizona, who turned away from his former support for legalization measures in the face of a primary challenge from J.D. Hayworth, an outspoken critic of illegal immigrants.


http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2...ration-reform/

****Comment: I know its pretty much what has been posted, but I thought that some of you guys would like to read from another source. I'm doubtful as always, seems like its all politics, but I honestly think they need to focused a the DREAM since its already written. I would believe this more if it was about the DREAM Act than the CIR. I think the DREAM is a more likeable act, and I think it can pave way for the CIR.

Listen they r not going to go for any piecemeal legislature, either CIR or no reform. Obama made it very clear, need CIR as a complete pakage. So, this is all political act for Harry Reid to win in Nevada. As dems r loosing left n right and they don't want to loose this now. Now, even d public according to new poll at CNN shows 60% want to deport all and enforce d existing laws, due to economy. No jobs for legal people they say, don't want any illegal to come n steal their moments.
Very frustrating but wht can u do, i guess NOTHING. sO POWERLESS!!!!

nothin ur answer is we can do nothing amazin.....i have read here on these very forums inspiring thoughts from other dreamers.....idk what happen here tho.....its true what the article said its the republicans fault for no immigration reform....or any pieacemeal deal......they are just stuck on there high horse of no to everything and even with those obstacles obama was able to do healthcare....so instead of doin nothin i suggest to GO OUT WITH A LOCAL DREAM GROUP OR NATIONAL DREAM GROUP AND MAKE IT OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE that its republican's who are at fault with cir and a broken boarder.....powerless i think not........

I respect ur opinion, but the truth is that all the politicians are playing politics with our lives and livelyhood. They give a crap of our hunger strikes, demanding our rights or anything. But then again we always hope for the best. And everyday we remind ourselves tht soon something good will come up and all will be gone like a bad dream. It did happen in 1986 rite, so why not again. Look the point is we all want something to happen as soon as possible so we can start our lives. It is getting frustrating. I pray every day for some kind of miracle. Only now a miracle will do something, because the real lives miseries and facts doesn't change anything. So keep ur hopes up n high. Soon we all hear the good news.,

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-...ispanic-caucus

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release June 29, 2010

Readout of the President’s Meeting with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus

Today, President Obama met with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus about the need to fix our nation’s broken immigration system. The President discussed his upcoming speech on comprehensive immigration reform with the members, and his desire to see a bipartisan process based on the proposal presented in the Senate and building on the Schumer-Graham framework. The President noted that the bipartisan approach in that proposal thoughtfully addresses the need to further secure our borders and demands accountability from both workers who are here illegally and unscrupulous employers who game the system. During the meeting the President also reiterated the unprecedented efforts his Administration has taken to secure our borders, including his request to Congress for $600 million in supplemental appropriations and the deployment of up-to an additional 1,200 National Guard forces to complement those efforts. The President pointed out that truly securing our border requires comprehensive immigration reform, and said that he wants to continue to work with the CHC and the Congress to act at the earliest possible opportunity. The President thanked the CHC members for their strong support over the past year and half, having helped pass a historic economic recovery bill, health care reform, education reform, and being on the cusp of passing Wall Street reform that ensures the irresponsibility of the past doesn’t lead us to another crisis. In addition, the President once again made clear his views on the recent law passed in Arizona and noted that the Department of Justice was reviewing it.

"At the earliest possible opportunity"...now you'd have to be quite dim to not see the dilemma that next Congress poses for the passage of CIR. And all those legislative items he thanked the CHC for helping him pass with their votes actually refutes his statement: The reason they won is because all Democrats kept rank and voted *unanimously*. What guarantee do they get for CIR or DREAM after they give up their votes? There are 10-12 Democrats who oppose a legalization program. Oh my, what are we to do now that we only have 58 Democratic votes in the Senate? Where will we get the two magic "yes" votes to 60, assuming that ALL 58 will vote yes?

What I want to know is, what is plan B? What is the plan should Democrats loose control of Congress? Surely the administration has to have a back-up plan, what is it? And since RI4A apparently is the top-dog calling all the shots (since when? After a long time, and seeing no results, I refused their e-mail subscription at the beginning of the year after the SOTU address) what do they plan to do to force Republicans to pass immigration reform?

What poll was that?

Just when the consensus was building that dream act should be passed as a down payment to immigration reform this year, Obama is trying to come along with this B.S speech and mess it up. I just hope our "allies" don't buy this and keep telling the the dream act movement to keep waiting for the ever elusive comprehensive solution. I just don't see how this speech is going to convince republicans to support comprehensive immigration reform this year or especially next year? Does anyone really think republicans in the next congress will help Obama pass CIR the year before the presidential elections so that he can use that in his campaign to woo the Latino vote?


I really blame the so called advocates who have and are still giving him a free pass on this issue.

+1 -cough-RI4A-cough-

I refuse to even try to understand their line of thinking when DREAM Act has so much support in and outside of Congress. At this point CIR is not an option, while DREAM Act still is. 70% of public support is behind DREAM Act. It's really a no-brainer.

is obama really gonna give his speech at some university in front of thousand of students and not talk about DREAM Act??
this guy really has the nerve...smh.

ahhh i didnt read it obama talks to much seriously lol